The invention described herein relates to the field of remote game controllers for operating electronic games. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved radio frequency operated remote game controller for operating an electronic game device.
Electronic games use software and hardware devices to simulate game situations and experiences through visual and audio stimulus. Game controllers provide interactivity to change the game direction or response. Many games are fast moving and require fast reflexive responses to the game situation and format, thereby requiring transmission of large data sets. Any interruption of such game is disruptive to the person's enjoyment and is highly undesirable.
Conventional game controllers are typically hard wired to the hardware or alternatively transmit data signals with infrared frequency transmission. Hard-wired controllers are capable of reliable, fast signal communication, however such controllers require wires leading from the controller to the hardware. Such wires present a safety hazard because persons and pets can trip over the wires, and further limit the operating mobility of the user relative to a central controller.
Certain multiple game devices have been proposed to permit simultaneous, multiple user operation of a game system, however such systems typically hardwire the controllers to the central control system and to other controllers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,255 to Barker (1992) disclosed a system for a remote controlled multiplayer video game. U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,125 to Hochstein et al. (1991) disclosed a video game communicator electrically connected with telephone lines, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,558 to Shimamoto et al. (1979) also disclosed a remote game apparatus using a telephone line as the communication means.
U.S Pat. No. 4,531,740 to Green et al. (1985) disclosed a remote controller system for a video computer game which used radio frequency ("RF") transmission as a communication mechanism and required a reset mechanism on a control center. Data was transmitted through different channels, significantly limiting the flexibility of a controller and limiting the number of users able to simultaneously operate the game system.
Another radio broadcast system was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,849 to Rutkowski (1998) wherein long range signal transmission was proposed. Such system also depended on multiple channel transmission and used a single receiver to poll individual channels. Such polling requirement significantly increased delay in signal processing and limited high data transmission required in remote game transmission.
Governing jurisdictions stringently regulate spectrum utilization for radio frequencies. As representative examples, the United States regulates "Toy Bands" (45 MHz-75 MHZ) which provides relatively high power within the tightly restricted channel bandwidth, a "Remote Band" (285 MHz-322 MHz) having severe power restrictions within a relatively wide channel bandwidth, and an "Industrial Scientific and Medical Band" (902 MHz-928 MHz) which permits relatively high power levels. Because the power levels within a selected band are highly regulated, ambient environmental noise can overwhelm a transmitted signal and generate an inadequate signal to noise ratio. Additionally, the economics of constructing affordable game controllers significantly limits available design options.
Conventional game controller systems often provide multi-user capabilities and power efficiency based on frequency domain multiplexing ("FDM"). FDM uses multiple frequencies or channels to carry multiple signals through a common airspace, or one signal per channel. Systems incorporating FDM are undesirable because of additional cost and complexity, and because a larger transmission spectrum is required for the communication footprint. This requirement increases the possibility of signal interference from other signals, and with the possibility of controller interference with other products and appliances.
A need exists for an improved game controller system which does not have the limitations of prior art controllers and which adjusts to overcome ambient noise. The system should efficiently and accurately transmit large quantities of data and should be adaptable to different operating environments.